The Freedom to Learn Forum is a space for all those interested in human-centred and rights-respecting practice in education, to share and learn from one another.

The Freedom to Learn Forum 2024 will take place at East Kent Sudbury, in Ringwould, Kent, from Friday 15th August to Sunday 18th August.

Inspired by Open Space technology, participants of all ages co-create theschedule, and participants host activities, workshops or games, and initiate discussion circles on a wide range of themes. The Open Space (or UnConference) format creates space for peer-to-peer learning, collaboration and creativity.

If you have a ticket and an idea for an event at the Forum you can submit a proposal. We are particularly keen on the participation of children and young people and welcome events by and for them during the forum. We have lots of young people on our steering team, who are helping to make this event for everyone, not just adults.

At the Freedom to Learn Forum you might find: young people fighting for their rights in education; unschooling families; people who are involved with self-directed learning communities; democratic school students or teachers; mainstream teachers who would like to explore these ideas; play and youth workers; early years practitioners; academics and many more.

Some of the events from last year’s forum:

• Setting up a learning community
• Working In The Games Industry
• Meeting about rules
• Making our projects accessible
• Schooling the World: film screening
• Encore: singing game
• Sardines game
• Co-creating a play (young people only)
• Pokemon chat / game
• A children’s revolution
• Chaos tag
• Collaboration vs competition
• Tie dye session
• School Circles: Film screening plus Q&A with the directors

Tickets

You can buy tickets for the Freedom to Learn Forum 2024 here.

The Freedom to Learn Forum is for everyone and Phoenix Education Trust has a firm commitment to social justice and accessibility. Therefore if you need financial assistance to access the Forum please complete our Support Forum.

Accommodation

All tickets include four nights onsite camping in the beautiful field at Rippledown House. There are toilets, showers and commmunal outdoor cooking facilities.

There are lots of other local options, if camping doesn’t work for you, including a Holiday Inn just down the road.

We do also have a limited quantity of onsite accommodation, which will be allocated on the basis of need and can be applied for through our Support Form.

Accessibility

East Kent Sudbury endeavours to be as accessible as possible for visitors to Rippledown for the 2024 Freedom to Learn Festival. We have a 3.5 acre site with a mixture of open grassy fields, wooden decking, uneven woodland paths and concrete flat surfaces. In our buildings we have some wheelchair accessible areas, and some areas accessed only by steps. Please find more detail in our Accessibility Information Document.

You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram to hear more about the Freedom to Learn Forum 2024..

If you have any questions about the forum you can use our enquiries form on our contact page.